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Best console gaming magazine?

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Originally posted by: xboxist

It doesn't mean perfection, to them. Stop trying to tell gaming magazines/website what their scores should mean. At the start of each month's review section they clearly state their scoring policy.

If a teacher grades a student's paper an "A," that doesn't mean it's a "perfect" paper. It just means the teacher thinks it's of the highest tier of quality and workmanship; a benchmark to compare the other student's papers to. Yes, the paper might have SOME flaws, both objective and subjective, but not enough to detract from the overall final product.

If teachers and game reviewers would only give As/10s to true-to-the-word, "perfect" paper/games, then an A or a 10 would never be issued. Thus, what's the point? Then a "9/10" would become the best score a game could get. And so on, and so on.
Click to expand...

:thumbsup:

Yep

In this regard,

Halo 3 deserves a 10/10
Bioshock 360 also deserves a 10/10

Neither are perfect, but are as close to perfection as I have seen in quite some time.

Those who think 10/10 should = perfect, does a perfect game even exist (In your opinion, of course) ?
 
Originally posted by: Ackmed
No need to scan, I believe you. He did say magaziness however.

And they're wrong. If its not perfect, dont give it a perfect score. Seems pretty simple to me.

Like hans got annoyed with all the 10's for halo 3, I did as well for Bioshock. It got too many perfect scores to me. No game is perfect, and giving it a perfect score it silly. Especially with several issues the game (pc) has.
Click to expand...

I agree with xboxist in saying that you really don't have a say in what a publication's ratings mean. They say a 10 doesn't mean perfect, only the best, and that is how they've scored it. I can almost see where you're coming from, because 10/10 does equal 100%. But that's not their method of scoring. 100% to them does not mean perfect, so if you want to consider their score, you have to consider their methods. If the score and methods do not go hand-in-hand, then you are just interpreting their score for your own purpose.

I feel stupid discussing this, though, because the score is far from the be-all, end-all telling of how good a game is, wouldn't you agree? 🙂

However, mugs brings up the great point of 5.0 not really being average of EGM's scores. Their average scores do seem to lean towards around 7. Of course, maybe a lot of games these days are above average? 🙂 Ok, maybe not 😛.
 
Originally posted by: Yreka
Originally posted by: xboxist

It doesn't mean perfection, to them. Stop trying to tell gaming magazines/website what their scores should mean. At the start of each month's review section they clearly state their scoring policy.

If a teacher grades a student's paper an "A," that doesn't mean it's a "perfect" paper. It just means the teacher thinks it's of the highest tier of quality and workmanship; a benchmark to compare the other student's papers to. Yes, the paper might have SOME flaws, both objective and subjective, but not enough to detract from the overall final product.

If teachers and game reviewers would only give As/10s to true-to-the-word, "perfect" paper/games, then an A or a 10 would never be issued. Thus, what's the point? Then a "9/10" would become the best score a game could get. And so on, and so on.
Click to expand...

:thumbsup:

Yep

In this regard,

Halo 3 deserves a 10/10
Bioshock 360 also deserves a 10/10

Neither are perfect, but are as close to perfection as I have seen in quite some time.

Those who think 10/10 should = perfect, does a perfect game even exist (In your opinion, of course) ?
Click to expand...

soul caliber on dreamcast.
 
Originally posted by: blurredvision
Originally posted by: Ackmed
No need to scan, I believe you. He did say magaziness however.

And they're wrong. If its not perfect, dont give it a perfect score. Seems pretty simple to me.

Like hans got annoyed with all the 10's for halo 3, I did as well for Bioshock. It got too many perfect scores to me. No game is perfect, and giving it a perfect score it silly. Especially with several issues the game (pc) has.
Click to expand...

I agree with xboxist in saying that you really don't have a say in what a publication's ratings mean. They say a 10 doesn't mean perfect, only the best, and that is how they've scored it. I can almost see where you're coming from, because 10/10 does equal 100%. But that's not their method of scoring. 100% to them does not mean perfect, so if you want to consider their score, you have to consider their methods. If the score and methods do not go hand-in-hand, then you are just interpreting their score for your own purpose.

I feel stupid discussing this, though, because the score is far from the be-all, end-all telling of how good a game is, wouldn't you agree? 🙂

However, mugs brings up the great point of 5.0 not really being average of EGM's scores. Their average scores do seem to lean towards around 7. Of course, maybe a lot of games these days are above average? 🙂 Ok, maybe not 😛.
Click to expand...

I know I dont have a say in how they score, yet 100%, 5/5, 10/10, etc. are all still perfect scores. Whats wrong with giving a game a 97%, 4.8/5, or 9.7/10? As we've said, no game is completely perfect. There are several issues with Bioshock (PC version), yet still there were a lot of perfect scores. DRM issues, wacked out WS, clipping, repetitive gameplay to name a few shows its not perfect. Sure its a great, great game, and deserves a ton of praise, but its no 100%. Upper 90's to me for sure, but its not perfect. As hans pointed out, EGM noted several flaws with Halo 3, yet gave it a perfect score. Thats just silliness to me. Dont be afraid to drop the score, and give it what it deserves. If you noted several flaws, its not perfect.

5 doesnt seem average to me either, but again, its whatever they want to do. If I see a 5/10, Im thinking its a poor game. Thats probably the general thinking of most people, which is our fault I suppose. Most reviews clearly spell out what their scores mean before reviews. If you get a 50% on a test.. it sure isnt an average (passing) grade though. 😉

Inspector Jihad, Tetris is about the closest game to perfect to me. 🙂 Depends on what system, and controls though. Hard to find a flaw with it, its all about gameplay, and stands the test of time.
 
Reading magazines for reviews is silly with the internet. Online reviews through metacritic and actual player discussions (like this forum) is how I make my buying decisions. Magazines are best for in-depth previews, editorial content, and other goodies you can read while on the can. For instance, I had never heard of Dead Space until I read this months cover article in Game Informer.

I really like Game Informer's and EGM's staff for those reasons. I can't remember the last time I bothered with print-media reviews.
 
The Internet has more or less killed gaming mags. By the time gaming mags hit your mailbox, the information is at least a few weeks old. Magazines don't really have exclusives anymore... possibly the only thing I ever like in them anymore are the ads for new games, if that's believable.
 
Originally posted by: Injury
The Internet has more or less killed gaming mags. By the time gaming mags hit your mailbox, the information is at least a few weeks old. Magazines don't really have exclusives anymore... possibly the only thing I ever like in them anymore are the ads for new games, if that's believable.
Click to expand...

probably my favorite gaming exclusive in any mag was when EGM had some super secret shots of MK2 at the back of some magazine probably 10 years ago before it was out. It was so freaking awesome to see those shots, and the looked like they had been taken w/a disposable camera.
 
I can't believe people still read paper mags. I read the newspaper as it's fairly up to date. Most game magazines only offer old news if you have internet access, so to me they're obsolete. I'd rather check out multiple message boards and online reviews before buying a game as opposed to reading a few in a most likely biased magazine.
It's the same reason I stopped reading high end home audio mags. Companies buy ad space and you're reviewing their products. Do you really want to piss them off with a poor review? If your into good journalism you will, but it doesn't make money. 🙁
 
Originally posted by: randay
The only perfect game in existance, or most perfect game in the history of mankind, would have to be Chess.
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It has a too high a learning curve to be considered perfect. Checkers for example is much easier to get into and enjoy for the beginner
 
I like GI too, but I must admit EGM is fast becoming my favorite.

Example, in this months letters section. This guy writes this 5-6 paragraph diatribe about how there is nothing wrong with launch consoles, and he has personally has purchased every console back to NES at launch and they still work. He ends the letter by saying he laughs at people who purchased a $400 red strobelight ( 360 that has RROD'ed)

EGMs response, one line.. "Wow you sound like a real Dick"

Classic :thumbsup:
 
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